Building a skincare routine

New ingredients, beautiful packaging, gorgeous smells,... there is not much that gets me more excited than a new skincare product. I love the hopeful feeling ("this is going to change my skin"), the newness of it (the shiny-bright-brand new-factor) and, obviously, the satisfaction when a product actually improves my skin, whether that be hydration, or smoothness, or something else.

That being said, I'm a firm believer in good habits and well set out routines. Introducing new products frequently can upset your skin, especially if you have (like me) a sensitive one! That's why I couldn't think of a better topic than routines for a first post.

So, let's get to it: what makes a good skincare routine? There's three factors (don't all good things come in three?):

1. Make a difference between mornings and evenings. The evening is the time for your skin to rest and restore (after a day presumably filled with UV rays, stress, pollution and, let's not forget, makeup). The morning is the time to refresh, brighten and hydrate.
2. Think of how many products you want to use. I'd say the bare minimum is: a cleanser (2 in the evening, but more on that later), an exfoliating toner, an eye cream, a serum and a moisturizer. You might also want to "layer" the serums (love that expression, really sounds like pampering yourself, which is totally what skincare is about), or add an oil, which brings me to my next point:
3. Be mindful of the ingredients you're layering. Some things are meant to complement each other, others are not. Heavy duty chemical exfoliators and highly concentrated retinols might be too much together, but work well when alternated.

What my routine looks like right now:

MORNING

• I start off with a gentle cleanser. People that say you shouldn't cleanse your skin in the morning couldn't be more wrong (yes, I toss & turn & sweat while I sleep, as I'm sure most of us do), but don't be too harsh on your skin in the morning (you aren't wearing any make-up or SPF that needs to come off). I've used the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser for the past few weeks, as I find it really gentle and it smells diving (roses people! roses!).
• When I feel my skin needs some refining or brightening, I use a mild, exfoliating toner. Favorites are: Indie Lee CoQ-10, or the French Eau Précieuse.
• Totally optional, but so spa-like and adds a boost of hydration: use a "spritz", or a mild hydrating toner, for example with rosewater (Melvita Organic Rose Beauty Mist) or hyaluronic acid (Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence - this is expensive but it smells amazing...).
• Next up: eye cream. I chose something light and hydrating in the morning, that will work on refreshing your eyes and prep for concealer. Word to the wise: there is no eye cream that can actually improve your dark circles (though brightening or reflecting particles can conceal). The one I'm using right now is the Tata Harper Restorative Eye Cream.
• Serums are arguably the most important step. I typically use a vitamin C serum in the morning, as this ingredient is proven to brighten your skin and in the long term, give it a more smooth and spot-free finish. It's also energy in a bottle and makes you look more awake instantly. This one from Clinique is one of my favorites, as its innovative packaging makes sure the vitamin C stays potent over time. If you have the time and the patience for it, and your skin is dehydrated, you can add a hyaluronic acid serum (like this one from Peter Thomas Roth) or apply a finishing serum (love the Biologique Recherche one).
• People think moisturizer is the most important step. People are a little right but mostly wrong. Consider your moisturizer to be your coat (quoting my skincare guru Caroline Hirons here), i.e. the layer of protection that makes sure all the good stuff you put on your skin, can be absorbed, and that your skin has a protective layer. Don't expect your moisturizer to dramatically improve or change your skin though - that's what serums are for. I pick a slightly thicker "coat" in winter (Future has a good one) and something more light, like the Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Oil-Free Moisture Cushion, in summer.
• Last but not at all least: SPF! Whenever anyone asks me what they should do for their skin, I tell them to use SPF (I'm partial to EltaMD). I'm sure I don't need to tell you how important SPF is to prevent those UV rays from aging your skin. Enough said.

EVENING

• I promise this post is coming to an end. In the evenings I double cleanse. Every. Evening. The first cleanse is to melt off make-up and any other grime that has accumulated on your skin during the day (I know, it sounds gross, and that's why you need to get it off) with an oil or balm cleanser (I'm currently using this divine oil from Shu Uemura). The second cleanse can be a first step in exfoliating your skin or prepping it for what's to come. Being "blessed" with an oily skin, I like this one from Avène.
• And then, I exfoliate. I don't like physical exfoliants (those beads just scratch your skin) but I do LOVE (and no that's not an exaggeration) chemical exfoliations (AHAs, BHAs,...). My holy grail, all-time favorite, cannot-live-without toner is the Biologique Recherche P50 1970. I don't want to spoil it too much, as I'm sure it will come up frequently on this blog, but let's just say that in a deserted island situation, this would make my top 5.
• The rest of the routine pretty much follows the morning scenario: spritz, eye cream, serum, moisturizer. I use the same spritz, but I do tend to use a richer eye cream, more focused on anti-aging and preferable containing retinol (like this one or this one). Retinol, a vitamin A derivative, is the only ingredient proven to prevent and combat signs of aging (aka wrinkles!). I use it religiously, also in my night serum, but not every day, as it's quite potent and can cause redness, pilling and dryness. After the retinol, I typically use a hyaluronic acid serum and a moisturizer.
• There's no better time than the evening for... masks. I love the self-care, spoil yourself aspect of masks but they're also one of the best ways to create instant result. I mask two to three times a week, alternating between cleansing (Biologique Recherche Masque Vivant), soothing (Avène Masque Hydratant Apaisant) and hydrating (belif Aqua bomb sheet mask).

Hope this helps you in creating your own routine and figuring out your skincare regimen. Let me know if there's any particular topics or products you'd like me to review in more detail!



You can always trust me to give you an honest opinion and to tell you when a post was sponsored. This one wasn't and all of the products mentioned were purchased by me (for the love of skincare...).